October 23, 2008 Kent Hill Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Global Health U.S. Agency for International Development RRB 3.06-072 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20523-3100 Dear Mr. Hill, As international HIV/AIDS, human rights, faith-based, reproductive health and development leaders committed to the sexual and reproductive health and human rights of women, men and youth globally, we are writing to express our deep concern over USAID’s recent decision to interfere with Marie Stopes International’s (MSI) access to contraceptive supplies in Africa. We ask you to rescind your instructions to U.S. Missions to urge host governments to ensure that U.S.-donated contraceptive supplies do not reach MSI. National health systems are already over-burdened. To impose an onerous task such as separating out donated contraceptive supplies is unjust and violates the rights of individuals to enjoy— and impedes government commitments to provide—the highest attainable standard of health. According to MSI, the USAID decision will “seriously disrupt” family planning programs in at least six African countries—including Ghana, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe—leaving women and families with fewer family planning and HIV prevention options. The countries being targeted by USAID have some of the highest rates of unmet need for family planning, not discounting high HIV/AIDS prevalence, and the impact of such a decision will be devastating. USAID has responded that the cut-off of supplies to MSI will not result in an increase in unintended pregnancies or maternal deaths because the supplies will be re-routed to other aid groups in those countries. However, a majority of MSI’s family planning impact is in rural, underserved areas where women are particularly vulnerable to illness and disease as well as unexpected pregnancy. To deny them supplies will indeed have a grave impact on access for women and their partners. The motion to ban contraceptive supplies to MSI under the guise of the Kemp-Kasten Amendment is unfounded. Marie Stopes International does not support coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization in China or elsewhere. Rather, the organization is a leader in increasing the availability of voluntary, client-centered family planning services in China and in countries around the world. Moreover, organizations such as MSI that do not receive U.S. funding were surely never intended by Congress to be a target of the Amendment. We wholeheartedly urge you to reconsider USAID’s instruction to African countries that they take measures to ensure that no U.S.-donated contraceptive supplies reach Marie Stopes International. As MSI is one of the world’s leading family planning organizations, this decision is sure to have a detrimental impact on women who need their services the most. This decision not only undermines the sovereign decision-making of these governments, but it also weakens U.S. efforts to reduce maternal deaths in developing countries. Furthermore, it unfairly politicizes women’s health and rights while also putting their lives in jeopardy. c/o Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 910, Takoma Park, MD 20912 USA Tel: 1.301.270.1182 · Fax: 1.301.270.2052 · [email protected]

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Sincerely, Organizations listed for identification purposes only. Hon Adebayo Azeez Aladeyelu Executive Director, Health Awareness and Gender Advocacy Initiative (HAGAI) Nigeria

Carmen Barroso Director, International Planned Parenthood/Western Hemisphere Region USA/International

Doo Aphane Executive Director, Lutheran Development Service Swaziland

Niall Behan Chief Executive Officer, Irish Family Planning Association Ireland

Dr. Hemant Apte Director, Ethno-Vision India

Wendi Losha Bernadette National President/Coordinator, Actwid Kongadzem NGO Cameroon

Laura E. Asturias Co-Founder, laCuerda Guatemala Angelina Atabong Magistrate and Trainer, Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy (CHRAPA) Cameroon Elizabeth Atemnkeng Secretary General, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Deputy Co-ordinator of Diocesan Commission, Justice and Peace Commission of Buea Diocese Cameroon Hossam Bahgat Director, Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights Egypt Valerie D. Bampoe Patient Representative, Inova Health Systems USA

Mabel Bianco Founder and Director, Foundation for Studies and Research on Women (FEIM) Steering Committee Co-ordinator, International AIDS Women's Caucus (IAWC) Argentina Corinne Björkenheim Managing Director, HIV-Foundation / The Finnish AIDS-Council Finland Gabi Björsson Director, Africa Groups of Sweden Sweden Noelene Blekkenhorst Director, FAMSA Western Cape South Africa

Frans Baneke Executive Director, World Population Foundation The Netherlands

Carol Bradford Independent Consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health Chair, UK Network for SRH & Rights United Kingdom

Joya Banerjee Co-Founder and Program Director, Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS USA/International

Treva D. Braun Gender Equality Advisor, Human Development Programme, Secretariat of the Pacific Community New Caledonia

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Charlotte Bunch Executive Director, Center for Women’s Global Leadership USA

Dr. Nazar Elfaki Consultant PHC/Reproductive Health Former Assistant Professor, Neelain University Sudan

Richard Burzynski Executive Director, International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO) Canada

Richard Elliott Executive Director, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network Canada

Alessandra Cerioli Chair, Italian League For Fighting Aids Italy

Charlotte Ndome Ekotto President, Association of the Fight Against Violence Against Women (ALVF) Cameroon

Jafar Iqbal Chowdhury Chief Executive, Association for Socio-Economic Development (ASED) Bangladesh Bjarne B. Christensen Secretary General, The Danish Family Planning Association Denmark Jerry Clewett Deputy Director, Health Unlimited United Kingdom Daniela Colombo President, Italian Association for Women in Development (AIDOS) Italy Laura Colpachi Independent Consultant on Women’s Issues Argentina M. Felicity Daly Head of Policy and Advocacy, Interact Worldwide United Kingdom Ros Davies Chief Executive, Women and Children First United Kingdom Vitaly Djuma Executive Director, Russian Harm Reduction Network Russia Katja Doerholt Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases, NHS United Kingdom

Nadine Dimodi Ekotto Project Director, Center of Reproductive Health Listening and Counseling for Adolescents and Women Cameroon Ngobo Ekotto Co-Founder, Association of the Fight Against Violence Against Women (ALVF) Cameroon Eva Engelsöy Programme officer for Mozambique, Africa Groups of Sweden Sweden Zulaika Esentaeva Public Health Program Administrator, Soros Foundation Kyrgyzstan Mabel Filippini Director, Ecumenical Center of Solidarity Action Argentina Nontuthuzelo "Ntuthu" Fuzile Women and HIV&AIDS Programme Manager, Voluntary Service Overseas South Africa Honor Genetski Psycho-Social Consultant, Sonke Gender Justice South Africa Daniela Gennrich Director, Pietermaritzburg Agency for Christian Social Awareness (PACSA) South Africa

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Adrienne Germain President, International Women's Health Coalition USA Patrick Kamotho Githinji Chief Whip, Bunge la Mwanainchi Social Movement Kenya

Terry Hull Professor of Demography, Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute (ADSRI) John C. Caldwell Chair in Population, Health and Development, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University Australia

Jenny Goldie National Secretary, Sustainable Population Australia Inc. Australia

Mary E. Hunt, Ph.D. Co-Director, Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER) USA

Ana Gomes Member of the European Parliament Portugal

Andrew Hunter Program and Policy Director, Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers Thailand

Elsa Gómez Independent Consultant USA

Mugambe K. Hussein Chairperson of the Board, Advocacy Through Filming and Screening Uganda (AFSU) Uganda

Fidèle Yobo Gouem Advisor MAP/Gender Cameroon Peter Green Committee Member, Sustainable Population Australia (SPA), New South Wales branch Australia Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda General Secretary, World YWCA Switzerland Geeta Rao Gupta President, International Center for Research on Women USA

Pinar Ilkkaracan Co-Founder, Women for Women's Human Rights (WWHR) - NEW WAYS Co-Founder, Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights (CSBR) Turkey Ayesha M Imam Board Member, Women Living Under Muslim Laws International Solidarity Network Senegal/International June Jacobs Past President, International Council of Jewish Women United Kingdom

Bernice Heloo President, Society for Women Against AIDS in Africa (SWAA) International Ghana/International

Jodi Jacobson Director of Advocacy, American Jewish World Service USA

Solveig Hokstad Executive Director, NSRR Norwegian Association for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Norway

Rachel M Jacobson Program Director, Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS USA/Ghana

Beri Hull Global Advocacy Officer, The International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (ICW) USA/International

Terrence W. Jezowski Vice President, External Relations, EngenderHealth USA

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Cary Alan Johnson Senior Specialist for Africa, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission USA/South Africa

Gabriela Leite Executive Director, Davida - Prostituição, Direitos Civis, Saúde Coordinator, Brazilian Network of Sex Workers Brazil

Tian Johnson Advocacy Officer, Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme South Africa

Susana Lerner Professor and Researcher, El Colegio de México Mexico

Chongsi Ayeah Joseph Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy (CHRAPA) Cameroon

Puleng Letsie Coordinator, Country Support & Development, Southern African AIDS Trust (SAT) South Africa

Dr. Raj Karim Regional Director, International Planned Parenthood Federation, East & South East Asia and Oceania Region Malaysia

Elizabeth Maguire President & CEO, Ipas USA

Brook Kelly, Esq. Policy & Advocacy Legal Fellow, The Women's Collective USA Irene Khan Secretary General, Amnesty International UK/International Shiv Khare Executive Director, Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development Thailand Sandra Kiapi Executive Director, Action Group for Health, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA) Uganda Korrie de Koning Royal Tropical Institute The Netherlands Dr. Shelley Kulperger Senior Policy Officer, Multicultural Affairs Queensland, Queensland Government Australia

Jennifer Gatsi Mallet Program Coordinator, International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (ICW) Namibia Jose de Marco Co-Director, Proyecto Sol USA Dora Mbanya National President, Society for Women Against AIDS in Africa (SWAA) Cameroon Katherine McDonald, LL.B., LL.M. Executive Director, Action Canada for Population and Development (ACPD) Canada Martha Meijer Executive Director, Aim for Human Rights The Netherlands María Consuelo Mejía Executive Director, Catholics for the Right to Decide, A.C. Mexico Alice M. Miller, JD Senior Scholar, Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice Lecturer in Residence, UC Berkeley School of Law USA

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Dr. Soledad González Montes Professor-Researcher, El Colegio de México Mexico

Sam Ocen National Coordinator, Uganda Young Positives (UYP) Uganda

Ian Mountjoy Coordinator, Sierra Leone International Internship Partnership USA

Dr. Daniel Onyetulem Community Health Coordinator, Live for Tomorrow Movement Nigeria

Motale Nebota Mukete Executive Director, The Redemption Health Foundation for Sustainable Rural Development and Conservation Cameroon

Gladwell Otieno Executive Director, Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) Kenya

Jude C Munaonye Coordinator, Living Hope International, Ministry of Health Nigeria Solome Nakaweesi-Kimbugwe Executive Director, Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) Uganda Njoki Ndungu Director, Leadership Development Company Kenya Joyce Neu, Ph.D Special Advisor, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, University of San Diego USA Karen Newman Co-ordinator, Population and Sustainability Network United Kingdom Felix Ukam Ngwu Executive Director, Centre for Healthworks, Development and Research (CHEDRES) Nigeria Alessandra Nilo Executive Coordinator, Gestos Brazil Nancy Northup President, Center for Reproductive Rights USA Jon O’Brien President, Catholics for Choice USA

Aslam Panhwar Executive Director, PEACE Foundation Pakistan Shakti Ranjan Patra Research Officer, NIAHRD India Dean Peacock Co-Director, Sonke Gender Justice Network South Africa Anne Pfitzer Country Director—Ethiopia, Jhpiego USA Carly Pildis Fellow, Jubilee USA Network USA Dianne Proctor Founder and Former Director, Australian Reproductive Health Care Alliance Australia Dr. Mohan Rao Professor, Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University India R Narsing Rao Secretary, SAHARA India Åsa Regnér Secretary General, Swedish Association for Sexuality Education, RFSU Sweden

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Anne-Marie Rey Abortion-information (formerly USPDA) Switzerland Axela Romero Director General, Integral Health for Women, A.C. Mexico Nirvana González Rosa General Coordinator, Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network (LACWHN) Chile/International Colleen Russo Consultant, UNIFEM Ethiopia Ulla Sandbæk Board Member, Sex and Society Former Member, European Parliament Denmark Meena Saraswathi Seshu Director, SANGRAM India Saira Shameem Executive Director, Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) Malaysia Steven Sinding Senior Fellow, Guttmacher Institute Former Director, Office of Population, USAID (19831986) Former Director, USAID Mission to Kenya (19861990) USA Samman Singh Secretary, Nehru Yuva Mandal Pipouri India Serra Sippel Executive Director, Center for Health and Gender Equity USA

William A. Smith Vice President for Public Policy, Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) USA Babill Stray-Pedersen, MD. PhD. Professor I, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oslo Norway Lauren Suchman Program Associate, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation USA Fumi Suzuki Director, Space Allies Japan Dr. Elisabeth Szumilin HIV Medical Advisor, Médecins Sans Frontières France Fern Terris-Prestholt Lecturer in the Economics of HIV, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine United Kingdom Sudha Tewari President, Parivar Seva Sanstha India Belinda Tima Co-Chair, International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (ICW) United Kingdom/International Stephanie Topp, MIPH, MPhil. ART Integration Coordinator, Centre for Infectious Disease Research Zambia (CIDRZ) Zambia Hermund Tvilde Programme Officer Southern Africa, Student and Academics International Assistance Fund (SAIH) Norway Jamie Uhrig Reproductive Health Consultant USA

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Abega Akongo Urbain Program Officer, Women, Health, and Development in sub-Saharan Africa (FESADE) Cameroon

Mitchell Warren Executive Director, AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC) USA

Dr. Maduabuchi John-Moses Uwanduoma Executive Director, ZETA-12 Research Group Nigeria

Norah Matovu Winyi Executive Director, African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) Kenya

Aika van der Kleij Coordinator, WGNRR – Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights The Netherlands Miriam van Groen Student of International Development Studies, Wagenignen University and Research Centre The Netherlands Anne Van Lancker President, European Parliament Working group on Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS and Development President, European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development Belgium

Prudence Woodford-Berger Senior Special Adviser, Ministry for Foreign Affairs Sweden Godfrey Yikii Associate Expert in the Prevention and Reduction of Unsocial Behaviour, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Uganda Dr. Paul Zeitz Executive Director, Global AIDS Alliance USA

Marcel van Soest Executive Director, World AIDS Campaign South Africa/Netherlands Wim Vandevelde Chair, European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG) Belgium Myria Vassiliadou Secretary General, European Women’s Lobby (EWL) Belgium Cristina Villarreal Executive Director, Orientame Foundation Colombia Marieta de Vos Executive Director, Mosaic Training, Service & Healing Centre for Women South Africa Hilkka Vuorenmaa Senior Advocacy Officer, Väestöliitto, the Family Federation of Finland Finland

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